Saturday, October 15, 2016

The month of October has arrived and so has autumn with all its beauty. As the temperatures decline into the 60's, there is a refreshing chill in the air and colorful foliage is emerging throughout the landscape. There is an array of both new and established blooms, as roses, lilies, butterfly bush and viburnum continue to flower, joined by chrysanthemums, liriope and daisies. It's the 15th of the month and it's time for another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up. Come stroll along with me through my October Long Island garden.

Daylily 'Stella D Oro' October

We start the tour with raindrops on lilies after a passing shower. The Stella D' Oro Daylily are continuing to bloom with dazzling yellow flowers from early summer to frost. I do a simple rejuvenation on them in August in order to get them to re-bloom and bring in the fall season.

Variegated Liriope and Japanese Garden Juniper Combination

Variegated Liriope is in full bloom with its vibrant purple hyacinth-like flowers emerging on reddish-brown spikes, just in time for autumn.

Weigela 'Spilled Wine' and Juniperus 'Limeglow'

Here is my Weigela 'Spilled Wine', which is adjusting nicely in the garden after being planted in August. It is all about the foliage with this plant and an added bonus will be its pink blooms in spring-early summer.

Double Knock Out Rose

There is something wonderful about a rose that just keeps on blooming, and these Double Knock Outs fit the bill. I have had them in the garden for several years now, but they never cease to amaze me as they push out profuse blooms from June until frost.

Bumble Bee on Butterfly Bush Lo & Behold 'Blue Chip'

The bumble bees continue to enjoy the dwarf butterfly bush in the back garden border as they busily pollinate, and I enjoy the resulting blooms!

Evergreen, Flowering Shrubs & Perennial Garden

Here is a view of long-blooming Lo & Behold Butterfly Bush with Gold Mop Cypress, Caramel Coral Bells and Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar. I enjoy this combination of evergreens, flowering shrubs and perennials as the garden changes throughout the seasons.

It's All About the Foliage-Sedum and Maiden Grasses

Over the years of being a garden designer, I have also enjoyed combining various hues and textures of foliage. This particular combination is especially striking to me, even more so in autumn, as the foliage of the sedum changes color and the grasses are showing their wispy plumes.

Blue Atlas Cedar October Seed Cones

The Blue Atlas Cedar is showing off its larger than usual cones for this time of year. It could be a sign of a severe winter approaching, but hopefully not.

Coral Bark Maple October

Signs of autumn appear as the first of the trees on the property starts to display its changing colors. This Coral Bark Maple is lovely for its beautiful yellowing foliage and reddening bark as the temperatures start to decline.

Weeping Japanese Maple Autumn

Soon the large Weeping Japanese Maple on the front lawn will start to lose its leaves, unveiling its beautifully structured trunk.

Plum Krauter Vesuvius

This 'Krauter Vesuvius 'Plum has matured nicely and is getting established in the garden after being planted about five years ago. Besides the delicate light pink blooms it produces in spring, this tree is also all about the foliage...

Weigela 'Spilled Wine'

as is the foliage of this Spilled Wine Weigela, as we pass it by once more.

Pool Garden

Here are some of my favorite evergreens along the pool garden. Weeping White Pine (left), Golden Hinoki Cypress (center), Montgomery Blue Globe Spruce (center in front of Hinoki) and Dwarf White Pine (center front). They add structure to the garden throughout the entire year, but especially in the winter months. The 'Yaku JIma' grasses are also seen here to the right, with their feathery plumes.

Weeping White Pine (Pinus strobus 'Pendula')

Here is Weeping White Pine close up. This one has been here since 1996.

Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'

In the back partial-shade garden is Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake', which blooms on and off throughout the summer and into fall. It is still pushing out some of its delicate white blooms that remind me of lace doilies each time I look at them.

Strolling back around to the driveway garden is purple Salvia 'Caradonna' with Spirea 'Magic Carpet', Agastache 'Kudos Yellow' and Weeping Norway Spruce in the backdrop. The Spirea 'Magic Carpet' and Agastache 'Kudos Yellow' are new to the garden this year, and I am getting lots of enjoyment from their continuous blooms.

Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku JIma'

Autumn wouldn't be the same without ornamental grass plumes, so we need to pass by and take a closer look! This is dwarf maiden grass 'Yaku Jima', which stays more compact than some of the others.

Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)

The Nandina domestica (or false bamboo) is also starting to come into character with its fall berries, which will turn a bright red for winter. This plant exhibits bamboo-like foliage, but does not spread like its counterpart, making it a wonderful addition to the garden.

Perennial Border October

One thing I love about gardening is how the landscape changes with the seasons, always bringing something new and exciting to look forward to. As the blooms start to fade, a new array of color starts to present itself with hues of orange and gold.

Montauk Daisy

So pretty are these Montauk Daisies that are in the neighbor's garden across the street. I always look forward to them blooming and wonder over to take a photo every October. Having resided in the home I grew up in, I have admired these flowers for as long as I can remember, and the lady who has planted them is very special to me.

Autumn Mums

As our tour comes to an end, we pass by the chrysanthemums on the back stoop...

October 2016

along side this unusual tree bark pumpkin which I discovered a few years ago. The blooms are right within constant view and surely make me smile every time I pass them by.

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' in a Vase on Monday

The last of the 'Tardivia' Hydrangea are now in a vase on the kitchen counter, bringing a little of the outside within.

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Welcome!

Welcome to A Guide to Northeastern Gardening. I am a landscape/garden designer, consultant and published book author of "A Guide to Northeastern Gardening-Journeys of a Garden Designer" and "Landscape Design Combinations". Involved in the horticultural field since 1996, I started this blog so that I could share my love of gardening with others. Join me for over 200 articles on general gardening, landscape design principles, gardening tips, planting, pruning, garden maintenance, feature plants and more. I look forward to and welcome your comments and will try my best to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you for visiting and do come back often! Happy Gardening! ~ Lee (A Guide to Northeastern Gardening)

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About Me

My husband and I live on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. I am a retired educator of 32 years, have been designing landscapes since 1996, and am the owner of my own landscape design business. My love of spending time in the garden has been and will always be a part of me. I started off by designing the gardens of friends and neighbors. With the encouragement of friends I decided to further my education in horticulture and design and became a landscape designer. I started up my business which grew by word of mouth and became what it is today. With shovel in hand since the age of five my love for creating now continues. When not designing I can be found in my own gardens planning the next addition...a never ending process. "A garden is an extension of its owner...a thing of beauty that constantly changes and can be enjoyed forever..."

Plant Hardiness Zone Maps

Hardiness Zones 3-9

The plants discussed in this blog are mainly hardy to zones 3-9. See individual plant details and the zone maps below for more information. An interactive USDA Map is located in the top navigation bar.